Electrical apparatus



Spt. 25, 1934; R. P. LANSING ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1932 a w w 5 Eu Q Mm M w& A ew .1

R INVENTOR.

a mon'a F Lam/h By 7 7 777m Patented Sept. 25,

ELECTRICAL APPARATUS otNewJeney East om,

Lansing, Montc'lalr, N. 1., aaaignor,

lllinunen to, to Eclipse Aviation N. 1., a corporation Won January 3., 1932, Serial No. 589,962

This invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to electrical apparatus of the type commonly employed in connection with the current-generation, and other accessory phases of an internal combustion power plant.

An object ofthe invention is the provision of a means whereby a generator and an ignition unit or other engine accessory can both be driven from the engine through common driving connections a of novel construction.

Another object is to provide novel driving connections of the foregoing nature, operable to synchronously drive the accessory unit and generator, and at the same time permit limited lost motion in the drive to the generator, and thus protect the latter against shocks and strains caused by the sudden speed fluctuations which are characteristic ofinternal combustion engines. In this connection a feature of the invention is the use oi a resilient coupling, yieldably connecting the engine-driven element with the armature shaft of the generator, the-coupling being so constituted as to permit the passage therethrough of a non-yielding driving connec- 25 tion leading to the aforesaid accessory unit.

These and other objects and advantages to be derived from the use of the invention disclosed herein will become evident on an inspection 01 the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment of the invention. It is to be err pressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only, and is not to be construed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being bad for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawing, 1 Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a generator and ignition imit with the present invention applied thereto; and

Fig. 2 is a view taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the invention is shown in Fig. 1 as applied to a generator having a field yoke of generally cylindrical shape. Pro-' vided interiorly thereof with a plurality of pole pieces 11 suitably attached thereto as by means of screws 12, and. serving to clamp the energizing field coils 13 to the inner surface of the yoke 10. A front head 14 is removably secured to one end of yoke 10 in any suitable manner, and is provided with one or more window openings giving access to the interior of the head 14 for the pur poses of observation or adjustment of parts therein, and which are normally closed during the operation of the generator, as by means of a. removable window closing band 15; A brush holder (not shown) is mounted within the head 14 by suitable-means and carries a plurality of brushes 19, only portions of which are illustrated. The

head 14 is also provided with a bearing boss and an anti-friction bearing 21 is adapted to be seated therein with its outer race 22 clamped between a shoulder 23 thereon, and a corresponding shoulder .24 on the supporting plate 25 of anignition unit, now tobe described.

The ignition unit is shown as a circuit breaker or interrupter havingpne or more normally closed contacts 26 and 27 which, in conjunction with the associated parts (not shown) connected electrically to terminal members, one of which is indicated at 28, control the primary circuit of the ignition system in the well known manner. Details of such control are not a part of the present invention, it being sufficient to note that the invention is applicable to any of the commercially used forms of ignition involving a rotatable cam or equivalent member, such as indicated herein at 30, adapted to periodically interrupt the circuit through contacts 26 and 27 to produce, by induction, an igniting spark in a secondary circuit not shown.

In accordance with the present invention, this circuit controlling cam or equivalent member 30 is adjustably secured by suitable means 31 to the end of a shaft 32 preferably passing through a central bore extending entirely through the armature shaft 34 of the generator. The opposite end'plate of the generator is preferably in the form of a generally cylindrical casing member 36 removably attached to the yoke member 10 by suitable common attaching means such as cap screws 37 threaded within the end of the yoke and also passing through a supporting plate 38 having an annular rim 39 facilitating its proper registry withthe end of the yoke 10, and having a central boss 40 in which is received an antifriction bearing 42 facilitating free rotation of armature shaft 34 extending therethrough. Casing member 36 is provided with a mounting flange 44 which may be used to secure the assembly to a corresponding mounting flange on the associated internal combustion engine casing.

In order to provide the common driving means for the ignition unit and generator which the present invention contemplates, and at the same time produce a positive drive for the ignition unit and a yielding drive for the generator, the shaft 32, is enlarged and splined at the engine connecting end as indicated at 46, to receive a correspondingly splined sleeve or socket (not shown) of the engine proper, and also to receive a sleeve secured thereto by suitable means, such as the set screw 51 (Figs. 1 and 2) and internally splined to register with the splines of the shaft 46. A second sleeve 48 is splined to the end of the armature shaft 34 and is adjustably held thereon by suitable means such as nut 49. This sleeve 48 has projecting arms 52 (preferably four in number) and bearing a substantially tangential relation to the sleeve 50 and a parallel relation to each other, as indicated in Fig. 2. At the other end the arms 52 are enlarged as indicated at 54 and centrally bored and threaded to receive correspondingly threaded cup-shaped members 55 adapted to receive coiled compression springs 56 disposed with their axes at right angles to the center lines of the outer portions of the arms, the outer ends of the springs engaging opposite faces of intermediate coupling members 60, preferably constituted by arms integral with and projecting from the sleeve 50, as shown best in Fig. 1.

Fromthe foregoing it is apparent that as driving torque is transmitted from the engine to the member 46, the springs 56 act yieldingly to transmit the driving torque to the armature shaft 3i and at the same time cushion the shocks characteristic of an internal combustion engine. The ignition interrupter cam 30 is synchronously driven therewith by virtue of the positive drive constituted by the shaft 32, which is free to rotate relatively to the shaft 34, in which it has a free running fit, the shaft 34 being in effect a sleeve bearing, since it constitutes the sole-support of the shaft 32.

The compression of springs 56 is positively limited by the engagement of the adjacent ends of cups 55 with the outer edges of the arms 60, and by suitably adjusting the cups the load deflection characteristics of the connection may be varied within suitable limits. Moreover, the inertia of the armature is thus yieldably overcome without sudden jars or shocks. The construction is particularly adapted for use with airplane engines wherein'no flywheel is. provided and wherein vibration and sudden starting and stopping of the engine are likely to seriously disrupt the driving connection unless it is of a yielding character. At the same time the invention makes it possible to drive the ignition controlling member 30 posi-.

tively and synchronously with the engine and thus insure correct timing of the ignition, which is of course essential in order to maintain efflciencyin the combustion of the charge in the engine cylinders and thus obtain maximum power v output.

I It is to be understood that constructions other than those illustrated and described may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention, so long as the variations are within the scope of the broadest of the appended claims. Reference willtherefore be had to these claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, a dynamo electric machine having a hollow armature shaft, a second shaft ro- =tatable within and supported solely by said armature shaft, an element adapted to positively drive said second shaft, and means including said second shaft for effecting a yieldable connection between said driving element and said armature shaft.

.2. Apparatus of the class described comprising in combination, a dynamo electric machine having ahollow armature shaft, asecond shaft rotatable'within and supported solely by said armature shaft, an element adapted to positively drive said second shaft, and a yieldable driving connection between said shafts to transmit torque from said inner shaft to said armature shaft.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured at one end of said dynamo electric machine, and a single driving connection for constantly rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported solely by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, a single driving connection for constantly rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, and common driving means for said driven element and armature shafts.

5. In apparatus of theclass described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, and means for driving said driven element and armature shafts at substantially the same speed while permitting relative rotation therebetween during a portion of each revolution thereof.

6. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured at one end of said dynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported solely by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, and means for causing said armature shaft to be alternately accelerated and retarded in relation to the speed of rotation of said firstnamed shaft.

7. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured at one end of said'dynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said'rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported solely by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, common driving means for said driven element and armature shafts, said last named means comprising a member secured to said armature shaft, a second member secured to said first named shaft, and resilient means drivably connecting said last named members.

8. In apparatus of the c'lass described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured at one end of said dynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported solely by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, means for driving said driven element and armature shafts at substantially the same .speed while permitting relative rotation therebetween during a portion-of each revolution thereof, said last named means comprising a member secured to said armature shaft, a second" element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured at one endofsaid dynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, means for causing said armatureshaft to be alternately accelerated and retarded in relation to the speed of rotation of said first named shaft, said last named means comprising a member secured to and surrounding said armature shaft, a second member secured to and surrounding said first named shaft, and means drivably connecting said last named members.

10. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an 7 element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured at one end of said dynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, common driving means for said driven element and armature shafts, said last named means comprising a member secured to and surrounding said armature shaft, a second member secured to and surrounding said first named shaft, and resilient means drivably connecting said last named members, said driven element and said resilient means being rotatable about a common axis.

11. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured thereto at one end of saiddynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, means for driving said driven element and armature shafts at substantially the same speed while permitting relative rotation therebetween during a portion of each revolution thereof, said last named means comprising a member secured to said armature shaft, a second member secured to said first named shaft, and resilient'means drivably connecting said last named members, said driven element and said resilient means being rotatable about a common axis.

12. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a hdusing secured thereto at one end of said, dynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, means for causing said armature shaft to be alternately rotated and retarded in relation to the speed of rotation of said firstnamed shaft, said last named means comprising a member rigidly secured to and surrounding said armature shaft, 9. second member rigidly secured to and surrounding said first named shaft, and resilient means drivably connecting said last named members, said driven.

first named shaft, and resilient element and said resilient means being rotatable about a common axis.

13'. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a housing secured thereto at one end of said dynamo electric machine, and a single driving connection for constantly rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported solely by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, said driven element and said armature shaft being rotatable about a common axis.

14., In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven associated therewith, said driven element having a'housing secured to said dynamo electric machine, means for rotating said driven element, said rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported solely by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, common driving means for said driven element and armature shafts, said last named means comprising a member secured to said armature shaft, a second member secured to said means drivably connecting said last named members, said driven element and resilient means being disposed at opposite ends of said dynamo electric machine.

15. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and a second unit associated therewith, said second unit having a housing secured to said dynamo electric machine, a rotatable element within said 110 housing, means for rotating said element, said ,rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, means for driving said shafts at substantially the same speed while permitting relative rotation therebetween during a portion of each revolution thereof, said last named means comprising a member secured to and surrounding said armature shaft, a second member secured to and surrounding said first named shaft. and resilient means drivably connecting said last named members, said second unit and resilient means being disposed at opposite ends of said dynamo electric machine.

16. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a dynamo electric machine and a second unit associated therewith, said second unit having a housing secured to said dynamo electric machine, a rotatable element within said housing, means for rotating said element, said 130 rotating means comprising a shaft rotatable within and supported by'the armature shaft of said dynamo electric machine, means for causing said armature shaft to be alternately accelerated and retarded in relation to the speed of rotation of said first named shaft, said last named means comprising a member secured to and surrounding withinand supported solely by the armature shaft of said generator.

18. In combination with a dynamo electric machine and an element to be driven, associated therewith, a driving element, a shaft constituting a positive driving connection between said 

